Acting Chekhov: a compilation of quotes.

All excerpts below from The Actor’s Chekhov: Nikos Psacharopoulos and the Company of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, on the Plays of Anton Chekhov – a book I adore. It’s extensive interviews with all of the actors who were “regulars” at the Williamstown theatre festival (conceived by the fiery Greek Nikos Psacharopoulos) – they were known for their brilliant Chekhov interpretations – with actors such as Blythe Danner, Christopher Walken, Austin Pendleton, Olympia Dukakis – major heavy hitters. Blythe Danner and her daughter Gwyneth Paltrow actually did a production of The Seagull there about 10 years ago – before Paltrow really hit it huge – and Paltrow has talked about how she basically grew up at Williamstown, playing on the lawn while her mother rehearsed, moving her dolls around silently during rehearsal, etc. Kind of wild that she would get to go back there and perform with her mother. Lovely. It’s a production I wish I had seen. Frank Langella was a big Williamstown actor – and it was like a family. They would go back summer after summer, sometimes doing the same plays – alternating roles, etc. Anyway, Nikos is now dead – and The Actor’s Chekhov is a series of interviews with Nikos and also with all of his “regulars”. It’s a real actor’s book for actors – but hopefully non-actors will get a lot out of it too.